Exports have been slow to start this season but once the deal hits full stride production should equal if not surpass the 2012 crop
Mexican mango supplies to the US market have begun to pick up as of the beginning of March, industry pundits told Americafruit.
In the week ended week 2 March, shipments jumped by 42 per cent to 1.1m cartons compared with the previous week, bringing total carton imports to more than 2.5m cartons for the season to date, according to the National Mango Board.
But that figure is still well behind the total of 3.1m cartons shipped during the same period of 2012.
Once the Mexican mango season hits its stride, the industry expects production should be close to – if not exceed – the volume of 2012.
According to the USDA, just over 58m 4kg cartons of Mexican mangoes were imported into the US from February through October last year.
If this turns out to be the case again in 2013, it will be the third year in a row that the Mexican industry has exceeded the 58m-carton mark.
Mexico supplies a range of mango varieties to the US, including Ataulfos Hadens, Tommy Atkins, Kents and Keitts.
The 2013 season began the end of January.
The full report will be published in the April/May issue of Americafruit.
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